Adapting Content, formats for web writing and discussions

Adapting Content to Distance Learning Delivery Systems

Erika G.Feulner

Content Development		Developed by experts or specialists in essay, book or lecture format
Delivery of Content		Content developers and delivery system specialists need to be in continuous interaction throughout the course - teamwork!
Breakdown of content		Presentation formats, discussion groups, assignments, exercises, tests
Creating Communication Interface		e-mail, voice mail, multiple mail boxes, online communication channels online communication participants
Assessment		online course participants, portfolio assessment

Content Development
Much of our learning is generated by the innovative ideas and theories of experts and specialists in specific fields. Traditionally the expert functions also as the transmitter of his knowledge by lecturing, writing and teaching. This function changes in distance learning environments. The screen-learner will benefit form the expert’s writing transmitted as self-study texts and from the opportunity to call upon him as a resource, but not from a transference of the traditional lecture coupled with assignments and tests. The development of content must be in the hands of the expert, the delivery of content demands a different expert.

The delivery system specialist represents the complimentary part of content development and combines the skills of pedagogy, technology and interpersonal communication. His/her function in a distance learning environment is to create a smooth navigation on the screen to assist the learner’s self-study projects, to establish multiple communication channels with the screen learners, and to oversee the reading and assignment schedules. Ongoing discussion between the two experts, the content developer and the delivery system specialist, is vital to the structure of a distance learning course and for achieving the anticipated learning goals.
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Delivery of
Content
Delivery of content over a screen requires different planning strategies than traditional course preparation.

The syllabus for courses offered on screen needs to show the division of content into a desired number of clearly defined modules. The syllabus will also present a detailed introduction and overview of the course, explaining learning objectives, assignments, exercises, and the specific communication processes applied in the online or distance education course. Furthermore it will include a technology orientation - explaining selection, usage, and requirements of technologies - a vital part of online and any other distance learning..

Screen pedagogy is designed to motivate, stimulate and empower learners to self-study and discovery. When content is adapted to a screen environment, pedagogical planning needs to be meticulous and more detailed than for courses in real time. Assisting the distance learner in understanding and comprehending content the technological demands for adhering to minute detail are part of the process.

The planning includes presentation formatting, compiling references, developing discussion topics, monitoring discussion, creating exercises, assignments and test, and evaluating feedback (see diagram).
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Break-down of Content
Presentation formatting: The key to learning over distance and using a screen is the motivation for self-study. Presentation of content on a screen cannot rely on the lecture format of the three-dimensional classroom. Videotaped lectures, for example, can literally effect the opposite reaction in the screen learner compared with the student in a real classroom setting. Texts on the screen have to be written in short paragraphs and engaging language to incite responses. The writer of screen texts has to strive for utmost clarity along with easy navigation and place links to references strategically. Visual effects - either in graphics or arrangement of text -are essential for stimulating the learner to explore.

Compiling references: References are the learner’s guidebook to the road of exploration. They have to be well chosen – too many might be overwhelming and cause confusion instead of excitement. Much of the traditional lecture material will appear as a reference. The abundance of available resources demands an initial selection process for specific course objectives, and the selection of references has to reveal an underlying order for learners to continue on their own searches.

Developing discussion topics: The screen learner is on his road of exploring information, absorbing content, fulfilling assignments, making discoveries, and forming questions, conclusions and new ideas. It is vital to direct the learner’s self-studied discoveries into channels which provide a two-way or multiple communication structure as part of the learning process. Ideas and findings need to be discussed. Mentor/participant, expert/participant or peer communications on specific topics are the complementing part of self-study and at the heart of collaborative learning. Discussion contributions are rated high in the overall learner evaluation. Success of distance learning hinges around multiple and appropriate communication channels. A single chat site is not enough.

Monitoring discussion: Mentors and experts discover new responsibilities in screen interactions. The communication has to be channeled and monitored into precise and meaningful interchanges. Informal chats, spontaneous questions, technical problems, idea exchanges are distinctly different lines of communication and should be voiced in specific spaces and time-frames. Monitoring a threaded discussion – the counterpart of the classroom discussion – is a skill and the job of the online mentor and requires highly developed communication and organization skills. Sidetracking in online discussions can be one of the easy deterrents or interruptions of the learning process. It is important that participants' contributions are released to the entire group without losing focus on further development of the topic (collaborative learning).

Creating exercises: The immediacy of a classroom in real time has to be substituted on the screen with interesting activities and exercises engaging the leaner in exploration. In the planning and choices of self-study tasks and exercises different learning styles need to be considered. All learners have to be accommodated with appropriate exercises to reinforce content and stimulate independent thinking.

Creating assignments and tests: Assignments and tests are a part of any course of study. For screen learning the rules of clarity, brevity and challenge need to be consistently applied for sensible assignments and testing.

Evaluating feedback: Distance learning, being learner-based, depends on participant feedback for

its success

its development

its evolving infrastructure of communication

in each module. Hence, evaluating feedback is the cornerstone of an appropriate design of delivery systems.
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Creating Communication Interface
The success and quality of a distance learning course depends on the quality of the communication channels established for the modules of the course, especially the mentor/learner communication. On the screen, over distance and time , the often casual and multi-track communication in a classroom has to be separated into clearly defined communication channels: Technical concerns, content-related discussions, personal questions and issues should be channeled through different lines of communication. For online delivery multiple communication spaces and time tables must be planned and set up. Choosing the appropriate communication platform and arranging schedules and coordination between e-mail, voice mail, fax and regular mail are key factors in distance learning course planning.

E-mail: Currently e-mail is the most used and preferred way of distance learning communication. It is also the most abused way of communicating. For many the rules of grammar, spelling, sentence structure seem to be non-existent, when using e-mail, let alone considering the meaning and expediency of a message.The issue of writing needs to be addressed for any distance learning course.

Computers force us to be more precise, use fewer words, reinforce their meaning, and follow clear thought patterns in our writing. Matching the communication we want to relate to the precision required by the computer environment is a new use of language that needs to be learned by everyone who uses this tool in communication.

Voice mail: Depending on the structure of the distance learning course, creating the opportunities for phone calls among all participants – students, mentors, experts, technical assistants – will prove to be a valuable addition to all forms of written communication. Hearing the human voice will reinforce the sense of person-to-person communication. All phone contacts should follow a timetable and some basic rules of oral communication.

Multiple communication spaces: Multiple spaces to conduct communication apply to the strictly online course, where the screen offers the only place for communication. The multi-track conversation, possible in a real classroom, has to be separated in an online environment. There need to be lines for technical assistance, content-related questions or discussion, questions about course logistics, idea exchanges on projects, personal chats, emergency messages – all channeled to different spaces with timetables attached ( i.e. when the messages will be read and answered). This will not only create a discipline in ‘distance communication’ by using clearer concepts and reducing the superfluity of words, but also enhance the actual learning process.

Online communication channels: Learner-based programs are rooted in collaborative learning. …’According to Whipple, "collaborative activities lead to emergent knowledge, which is the result of interaction of the understandings of those who contribute to its formation." ‘ (DeLiberations - www.lgu.ac.uk/deliberations) The rules of communication in a collaborative learning process change to a basic practice of regarding contributions among all participants equally in the formation of knowledge. This is quite different from the hierarchical line of communicating knowledge from the source (instructor) down to the class (learners) in traditional educational settings. Online learning, which depends on collaborative learning strategies, needs to cultivate true mind to mind communication with careful planning of communication channels and monitoring.

The communications quadrant above demonstrates the various interactions on content in 6 two-way lines, which require time tables and an open two-way line to technical assistance that should have steadily available access.
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Assessment

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Online course participants and assessment: In a traditional educational setting the development of curriculum, dissemination of content (lecturing, teaching) and assessment of student performance (grading) is all in the hands of one person – the instructor. In the online environment of separated functions more people with different roles are involved in the learning/teaching process and in the monitoring of communication.

The expert who in most cases will be the university professor of a specialized discipline, is responsible for the development of content and the monitoring of content-related discussions.

The learner online is becoming more independent in self-study, thinking and organization of knowledge which will manifest in discussion contributions, fulfillment of assignments, and learner/learner communication on topics and projects.

The mentor online is a new position in managing the learning process. (S)he is responsible for the content break-down and coordinating the entire communication process (see multiple mailboxes). Online learning success hinges around effective mentor/participant (including expert and technical assistant) communication and relation.

The technical assistant is responsible for ensuring smooth operation of all technologies involved in the set-up of the distance learning course.

The learner online will appear in groups of specific numbers; there might be more than one mentor and several experts, depending on the course content. Technical assistance can also involve several people.

All participants involved with the content and communication of an online course are contributors to and responsible for the assessment process of the learning outcomes and achievement of learning objectives, which should follow the rules of portfolio assessment.

Portfolio assessment is a tool increasingly used in performance evaluations capturing a wider range of abilities than a simple grade based on testing. Internet searches using the keyword 'portfolio assessment' will produce a wealth of case studies. New Directions in Portfolio Assessment is a comprehensive source of theory and practice of this new evaluation process.
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